South Peoria man kidnapped at gunpoint, robbed

PEORIA — A South Peoria man walking to retrieve his car from a mechanic Friday night was kidnapped at gunpoint, taken to a house and pistol-whipped.

The 27-year-old victim was walking in the 1900 block of West Starr Street about 7:30 p.m. Friday when a gray SUV with four armed men pulled up next to him, according to a Peoria police report.

The armed men yelled the victim's brother's name, then forced him into the SUV at gunpoint. The victim told police the assailants made him keep his head down as the vehicle drove around for about 20 minutes before arriving at an unknown residence.

The armed men took him into the basement of the residence and had him sit on a chair. The suspects struck him twice in the face with the handgun — in the mouth and on the left side of his head, according to the report.

The victim later told police he escaped when someone walked into the residence and he ran out of the back door. Once outside, he kept running until he reached a street he recognized, Griswold Street, and ran home.

He was bleeding from the mouth and head when police were called, but the injuries were minor, according to the report. About $200 in cash was stolen from the victim's wallet.

The only suspect description the victim provided to police was that all four of the men were wearing black, had their faces covered and were armed with handguns.